Healing and Hope, Bishop Luis Rafael

Healing and Hope, Bishop Luis Rafael

Mass of Reparation and Prayer for Healing

September 25 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh

From the Diocese:

Following the Gospel, Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama rose from his cathedra and walked slowly to the center of the altar. It’s a scene many in our diocese are familiar with as he rarely gives homilies from the ambo. What happened next, however, was unprecedented. Acknowledging that sometimes ‘good homilies’ and ‘nice words’ can be meaningless, Bishop Luis Rafael removed the zucchetto from his head, fell to his knees, bowed his head to the assembly and, on behalf of his brother priests and the church, he asked for forgiveness. He remained, kneeling upon the white marble of the altar, for the entirety of his homily. It was just one of many emotional moments from the Mass of Reparation and Prayer for Healing held on the evening of September 25 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh.